The present invention relates to digital mixers including a plurality of physical controls (so-called “assignable controls”) to which are assignable desired parameters for control of the parameters, and more particularly to a technique for, in accordance with a screen display, differentiating a way of parameter assignment to the physical controls in such a manner as to permit efficient use of a plurality of physical controls.
As well known in the art, digital mixers are apparatus which generate mixed signals by outputting a plurality of digital audio signals, allotted to a plurality of predetermined input channels, to mixing buses with desired signal output levels, determined on a per-input-channel basis, and causing each of the mixing buses to mix together the digital audio signals at a mixing ratio corresponding to the channel-specific signal output levels. Among examples of the conventionally-known digital mixers is the digital mixer marketed by the assignee of the instant application under the product name “M7CL”, which is disclosed in Patent Application Laid-open Publication No. 2006-67106 (hereinafter referred to as “the patent literature”) or in “M7CL Instruction Manual”, 2005, Yamaha Co., available on the Internet at http://www2.yamaha.co.jp/manual/pdf/pa/japan/mixers/m7cl_ja_om_e0.pdf.
The following describe a construction of an operation panel of the conventionally-known digital mixer disclosed in the patent literature. FIG. 6 is a conceptual diagram showing a schematic outer appearance the operation panel of the conventionally-known digital mixer. As shown, on the operation panel (also called “mixing console”) Z of the conventionally-known digital mixer is provided, for each channel strip (eight channel strips are shown) corresponding to a user-desired input or output channel, a plurality of types of physical controls, including among other things a knob-type control N1-N8 (so-called “assignable control” and hereinafter referred to as “physical knob” for convenience of description) to which a user can assign a desired mixing-control related parameter (hereinafter referred to simply as “mixing parameter”) and a fader control L1-L8 (that need not be an assignable control) for controlling predetermined a mixing parameter like a signal level. Also provided on the operation panel Z is a touch-panel type display 100 via which the user can perform desired input operation by touching a screen.
A GUI tool (i.e., display screen including parameter displays), displayed on the display device 100, is used for the user to assign mixing parameters to the individual physical knobs N1 to N8. For example, on the display device 100 of FIG. 6 is displayed, in a window format, a GUI tool comprising parameter assign screens C1 to C8 which are provided in corresponding relation to channel strips and each of which includes a plurality of control images KN (hereinafter referred to as virtual knobs). The user touches any one of the virtual knobs KN in the displayed parameter assign screens C1 to C8 on the display device 100, or positions a cursor K, displayed on the display screen, at any one of the virtual knobs KN, so that a predetermined mixing parameter associated in advance with the touched virtual knob KN or cursor-positioned virtual knob KN can be assigned to the physical knob of the corresponding channel strip (i.e., one of the knobs N1 to N8). After such assignment of parameters, the GUI tool comprising the parameter assign screens C1 to C8 can be used as-is, for example, when the user desires to confirm values of parameters set by the user operating the individual physical knobs N1 to N8.
However, with the conventionally-known digital mixer, where only one physical knob (N1-N8) is provided, as an assignable control, for each of the channel strips as shown in FIG. 6, only one parameter can be controlled for each of the channels. Thus, each time the user wants to perform control of a multiplicity of parameters in accordance with control to be performed (mixing or effect impartment), for example, the user has to change the assignment of parameters to the physical knobs N1 to N8 such as by selectively displaying, as necessary, either a mixing GUI tool or an effect-imparting GUI, each comprising the parameter assign screens C1 to C8, where different parameters are associated in advance with the plurality of control images KN. However, such parameter assignment change operation is very time-consuming and cumbersome, which would result in poor usability of the digital mixer.
As one approach for avoiding the aforementioned inconvenience, it is conceivable to provide, per each of the channel strips, one or more additional physical knobs (e.g. one or more sub physical knobs (not shown) in addition to the main physical knob N1-N8), and assign parameters to the individual sub physical knobs. In such a case, however, how to efficiently assign parameters to the main and sub physical knobs would become a concern. Namely, due to the limitations of the display device 100, it is difficult to simultaneously display a plurality of GUI tools, each comprising parameter assign screens C1 to C8, in correspondence with both the main physical knobs and the sub physical knobs. Thus, the user has no other choice than to perform mixing parameter assignment to each of the main or sub physical knobs while displaying the GUI tool for the main physical knobs or sub physical knobs. In such a case, it tends to be difficult for the user to grasp relationship between the main and sub physical knobs and the assigned parameters, and thus, the user cannot efficiently assign parameters. Also, it is difficult for the user to check parameter values set for individual ones of the main or sub physical knobs.
In the case where the sub physical knobs are provided in addition to the main physical knobs N1 to N8 as noted above, the user may naturally have a desire for efficiently using a multiplicity of the main and sub physical knobs, e.g. for efficiently setting effect-control-related parameters (hereinafter referred to as “effect parameters”) etc. as well as for setting the above-mentioned mixing parameters using simultaneously both the main physical knobs and the sub physical knobs. However, the conventionally-known digital mixer is of course not arranged to allow the plurality of physical knobs to be used properly in accordance with a screen display (namely, types of parameters to be assigned etc.).